Flexible closure



June 12. 1928.

J. B. FREYSINGER FL EXIBLE CLOSURE Filed May 10, 1927 Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHN B. FREYSINGER, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO- NORTH & JUDD I PATENT OFFICE.

MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

FLEXIBLE CLOSURE.

Original application filed June 22, 1828, Serial No. 117,872. Divided and this application filed May 10, 1927. Serial No. 190,306.

This invention relates to flexible closures of the type having a pair of stringers or tapes produced on their opposed edges with clasps or looking members which are adapted to be successively brought into interlocking relation when a slide is moved longitudinally of the tapes in one direction and which are disengaged when the slide is moved in the opposite direction.

The object of the invention is to provide a flexible closure of this sort having improved interlocking members which are very simple in construction, which may be economically manufactured, and which are effective in operation. The construction of the locking members is such that they ma be uniformly made from sheet metal an when in interlocked condition, they form a secure and tight closure.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the a plication of which will be indicated in t e appended claims.

This is a division of my application Serial No. 117,872, filed June 22, 1926, for flexible closures.

In the accompan ing drawings, wherein have shown, for ilustrative purposes, one embodiment which the present invention may take:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the complete assembly;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing a number of the locking members or clasps in interlocking relation, the lower locking members being shown in longitudinal section' Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the locking members; and

Fig. 4.- is a plan view of the pierced and sheared blank from which the locking member of Fig. 3 may be constructed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a and b denote the respective stringers or tapes; 0, c, designate the locking members of the series secured to the tape a; and d, d designate the locking members of the series secured to the edge of the stringer b. e is a SlIdG for engaging and disengaging the lockin members. This slide may be of any suitable construction, the particular form and arrangement thereof forming no part of the present invention. f designates a bot-' tom stop of any suitable construction for limiting the opening movement of the slide, and g, 9 top stops which may also be of any suitable construction for limiting the closing movement of the slide.

11 the present illustrative disclosure of the. invention, the locking members of both series are preferably of identical construct1on so as to effect economy in manufacture, and each locking member is adapted to be interlocked with a super-imposed locking member and a subjacent locking member of the opposite series.

Referring to the drawings in detail, each of the locking members is preferably constructed by stamping out a blank from sheet metal, although, of course, it is to be understood that the locking members may be constructed of material other than sheet metal. The form of the stamped out blank is shown in Fi 4. This blank has, at its rear or attache end, a pierced opening 10 and a slot 11 leading thereinto so as to form a pair of wings or jaws 12. The opening 10 is adapted to receive a bead of a stringer, and the jaws are adapted to be forced together so as to securely clamp the locking member in place. At the forward or free end of each lockin member is a-pair of longitudinally extending slits 13 which divide the forward end of the locln'ng member into three fingers or lugs. The central finger15 is preferably longer than the side or end fingers 14. The middle finger 15 is bent into angular shape so that it has a V-shaped pocket 16 on its under side and a rounded hump or projection 17 on its upper side. Thepockets 16 preferably have sharp V-shaped bottoms, as shown in the drawin s. The ends of each pocket are closed by t e end fingers 14., these fingers being substantially in the plane of the body portion of the locking member.

The locking members 0 and d are assembled on the stringers in staggered relation, as shown in Fig. 1. From this figure, it

will be seen that, when the fastening device is closed, the V-shaped pocket 16 of each locking member receives the hump or projection 17 of the next subjacent locking member. The middle linger 15 of each looking member-is straddled by the lugs or fingers 14 of the locking member immediately thereabove so that the locking members, when in interlocked condition, are maintained in the correct relation to one another. It will further be seen, particularly from Figs. 1 and 2, that when the locking members are moved into or out of locking engagement, they have a proper camming action relative to one another which results in a smooth and easy operation. It is clear that each of the locking members is very simple in construction and can be very cheaply manufactured while, at the same time, they are accurate and uniform in all respects, all of which means that a fastening device constructed in accordance with the present invention may be manufactured at a low cost while, at the same time, a high degree of efficiency and operation is obtained.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim asmy invention:

1. A locking member for flexible closures of the character described formed by stamping a blank from sheet metal, the blank having at one end a pair of slits to divide said end into three fingers, the central one of which is longer than the end ones, said central finger having an angular or V shape so as to provide a pocket and a projection straddled by said end lingers said locking member being substantially rigid.

2. A flexible closure of the character described having a pair of flexible stringers and a series of locking members on each stringer, said locking members being staggeredly arranged and each having at its free end a plurality of fingers, the central one of which is longer than the end ones, said central finger having an angular shape so as to provide a pocket and a projection straddled by said end fingers.

3. A locking member for flexible closures of the character described formed by stamping a blank from sheet metal, the blank being relatively rigid and having at one end a pair of slits to divide said end into three fingers, the central one of which has an angular or V shape so as to provide a pocket and a projection straddled by said end fingers, said member except for said central finger being substantially flat.

4. A flexible closure of the character described having a pair of flexible stringers and a series of locking members on each stringer, said locking members being staggeredly arranged and each comprising a blank having at one end a air of slits dividing said end into three gers, the central finger of each member having an angw lar shape so as to provide a pocket an a projection straddled by the end fingers, the projection of each member being adapted to engage in the pocket of the next succeeding one.

JOHN B. FREYSINGER. 

